The Impact of Environmental and Social Responsibility on Shaping LATAM–EU Trade Relations

As the EU raises its environmental and social standards in the pharmaceutical sector, Latin American supply chains are feeling the ripple effects. Requirements such as mandatory Environmental Risk Assessments (ERAs) for medicinal products are increasingly influencing how LATAM companies operate—especially those exporting to or supplying the EU market. However, this evolving landscape also raises concerns over regulatory asymmetries. European pharmaceutical companies operating in LATAM may face higher compliance costs due to internal EU obligations, while competing with local firms not subject to equivalent environmental or social standards—potentially creating conditions of unfair competition. This panel will explore how EU-led sustainability initiatives impact trade dynamics in LATAM, and how multilateral cooperation, regulatory convergence, and the sustainability chapters of trade agreements can help level the playing field. Panellists will examine strategies for aligning standards while fostering innovation, resilience, and responsible growth across the LATAM–EU pharmaceutical value chain.